Giant Steps

Length: 12.8 miles (20 km)

Elevation Gain: 2,470 ft (752 m)

Date Hiked: July 11, 2020

This is by far one of my favorite hikes in Banff, but make sure you prepare yourself for a longer hiking day. Out and back (with an hour stop at the steps), it took about eight hours to complete. We also went with a group of people at different fitness levels, so you could definitely complete it in much less time.

The trailhead is up Moraine Lake Rd, which can make getting to the trailhead a little tricky. Once the parking lot at Moraine Lake is full, they close the road until spots open up, so you either need to get there super early (like 5 am) or confidently tell the park people blocking the road that you're just going to hike Giant Steps. We had to do the latter, and they let us through no problem.

The trail is pretty well marked and pretty popular during the summer. You're unable to access the trailhead by car during the winter because they close the road mid-October to June-ish due to high avalanche risk. You begin the trek through the woods, doing a bit of an incline to start. Along the way, you'll come to a creek that opens up to a gorgeous mountain view!

After about 3.5 miles or so, you'll reach Lake Annette. This is a really nice spot to stop for a snack or let your dog play in the lake. There's also this really cool glacier in the mountain if you look straight up. We hung out here on our way back from the steps for a bit. Most hikers with kids will stop at this point, so you'll likely have the trail more to yourself as you proceed.

I do want to note that by this time on the trail, you are quite out there in grizzly territory. Make sure you have bear spray on you and have it on either your hip or your chest for easy access. This is a trail that you should probably hike in a group so you're louder and seem bigger to bears that might be lurking by.

You'll finally make your way through this beautiful valley with snow-covered mountains on either side—yes, there's snow out there in July—before descending to the steps. When going through this valley, you want to be careful because the rocks are a little bit bigger along the trail and can easily twist your ankle if you're not paying attention. Also, pay attention to the sounds around. You might just hear an avalanche or two!

The Giant Steps are a beautiful sight! The water flows down over red rock and is a fantastic place to stop for lunch. We stayed here, soaking in the sun, for about an hour before heading back. It's also important to note that the rock in that area is very flat, becoming slick when water runs over it, and there are crevices in many places, so watch your step!!

Pack a sandwich and some mixed nuts (any kind of protein) and plenty of water for this hike. It's a long one that is extremely rewarding but can take a toll on you if not prepared. I ended up getting blisters on my pinky toes even though my boots are very broken in. Moleskin is a great option to protect those toes! Enjoy!